after his serious studies it served him for amusement and even
consolation, for he was of Timocles's opinion, that Tragedies might
serve to alleviate the idea of our misfortunes by carrying our
reflexions to the vicissitude of human affairs; and begs some indulgence
to a work done partly in prison and partly during illness. The
translation is in Latin verse such as the ancient tragic writers used.
In the preface Grotius enters into an examination of Euripides's
tragedy. He shews that the time of twenty-four hours has been exactly
kept to; that the unity of place is observed; that the manners are good;
that it contains many useful maxims, and is upon the whole very well
written.

FOOTNOTES:

[146] Ep. 56. p. 770. Ep. 57. p. 771.


VIII. The Prince of Orange, Maurice de Nassau, falling ill in November,
1624, died after six months indisposition, at the age of fifty-eight, on
the 23d of April, 1625. This event raised the hopes of Grotius's
friends: they flattered themselves that his return to his Country would
no longer meet with any obstacle. Prince Frederic Henry succeeded his
brother as Stadtholder. He had not entered into the malevolent projects
formed by Maurice against the Arminians. The Count D'Estrades has given
us some anecdotes on this subject, which we shall relate on his
authority. He assures us that, being one day _tête à tête_ with Prince
Henry Frederic in his coach, he heard him say that he had much to do to
keep well with his brother Maurice, who suspected him of secretly
favouring Barnevelt and the Arminians. "He told me (these are the Count
D'Estrades words) that it was true he kept a correspondence with them to